Head-rest for firearms.



Patented Dec. 30, I902.

140." men.

J. MABSLAND a4. GAUT.

HEAD spasm-on FIREARMS.

(Application filed Aug. 22. 1901.)

2' Shets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

Wi/im '0 No. 7I7,0|I. Patented'Dec. 30, I902.

J. MARSLAND &. J. GAUT. HEAD BEST FOR FIREARMS.

(Application filed Aug. 22, 1901.)

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES MARSLAND AND JOSEPH GAUT, on SYDNEY, NEW SOUTH WALES, AUSTRALIA,.ASSIGNORS-TO W. a A. MOARTHUR, LIMITED, or SYDNEY,

NEW SOUTH WALES, AUSTRALIA.

HEAD-REST FOR FIREARMS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 717,011, dated December 30,1902.

Application filed August22, 1901. Serial No. 72,914. (No model.)

To a whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JAMES MARSLAND, a resident of Abattoir Road, Sydney, and J SEPH GAUT, residing at Renwick street,Leichhardt, Sydney, in the State of New South Wales, Australia, subjects of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire arms, of which the following is a specification. This invention relates to improvements in firearms whereby an adjustable head-rest is provided in or upon the stock of a rifle or gunfor the support of the marksmans head when taking aim.

It is' well known that when using existing firearms it is an advantage for the head to be supported on the stock when possible, but that for long-range shooting it becomes difficult, owing to the elevation of the gun, to bring the head to the stock without great inconvenience, with the result that a steady aim is almost impossible. To obviate this difficulty, we provide an adjustable headrest which may be raised or lowered to-suit the range or elevation of the rifle or gun and the requirements of the marksman who may be using the firearm and which when not in use will repose in the stock in such a manner that the outward shape of the stock may 50 be generally preserved.

In the accompanyingdrawings, Figure 1 shows the head-rest elevated; Fig. 2, in repose. Fig. 3 is a plate for covering in the mechanism. Fig. 4 isa section at X X. Fig.

5 isa modification of the head-rest. Fig. 6 is a View showing a method of raising the head-rest vertically. Figs. 7 and 8 show a further modification. Fig.9 shows a headrest constructed of metal. Fig. 10 shows the 0 application of the invention to the comb or top edge of the stock. Fig 11 shows-a firearm with the head-rest elevated.

In Figs. 1, 2, and 4, A represents the stock of a firearm. j is an adjustable head-rest, of wood or other suitable material, which is capable of fitting in one side of the upper part of the stock. The head-rest j is rigidly secured to a T-iron f, preferably by means of wood-screws. Two legsa and b of approximately equal length are pivoted near their center at s. The lower part of the leg a, is pivoted on a-pin d, which is secured in a metal bed-plate c. The plate 0 is secured by screws 6 to the stock A. The upper part of the leg at is pivoted at g to the T-iron f. In the T- iron f is a :slot 1', in'which the pin h, at the upper end of the leg 6, is capable of sliding.

The lower end of the leg I) terminates in a tooth 0, which engages with the teeth n on the rack-bar k, which is rigidly secured to the bed-plate c or stock A by means of screws or rivets Z. The opposite end m of the rackbar is is free to move vertically and acts as a spring on the lower corner of the leg a, which is always in contact with same.

A cover-plateD (shown in Fig.3) is screwed, in the position shown in dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 2, to the stock in order to cover in the mechanism. In the plateD is a slot q, through which may be seen the teeth on the rack-bar k and the tooth 0 at the end of the leg b. The slot q may be closed by the slide r when not in use. An inward projection 2 on the slide 0"" engages with the tongue 3 on the leg I) when closed, thus preventing the head-rest being raised until the slide r has been drawn back. Below the teeth on the plateD is a scale of ranges which indicates the position in which the tooth 0 should be in the teeth n, and consequently the most suitable height for the head-rest for the range desired.

A spring-catch I of any suitable design may be used instead of the slide-lock aforesaid for retaining the head-rest j in repose when not in use.

In Fig. 5 is shown a modification of the head -rest, which is constructed of iron or metal 6 and covered with some non-heat-conducting material it to prevent inconvenience ,when exposed to the heat of the sun.

Figs. 7 and 8 show a further modification of the invention. In this instance theheadered with non-heat-conducting material it and so constructed that it fits in the comb or upper edge of the stock.

In Fig. 10 the rack-bar, on which are the teeth at and spring on, is screwed to the bottom of a recess in the comb or upper edge of the stock A and covered by the plate y, in which an opening is made to expose the teeth on the rack-bar aforesaid. The head-rest j is screwed to a metal plate having a slot 00 therein, in which the shoe to, pivoted to the leg I) at h, is capable of sliding. The leg I) and forked leg at are pivoted at s, and the upper part of the forked leg at is hinged at g, while the lower part of the leg or, operates on the spring 'm in a similar manner to that shown in Fig. 1. The head-restj when in repose fits in the recess of the stock A. In the said stock is the thumb-hole 2. On the plate y is a scale of ranges for the purpose aforesaid.

To use the invention, the head-rest j is raised from the folded position, (shown in Fig. 2,) a thumb-hole beingprovided in the plate D (see Fig. 3) for that purpose. The tooth 0 on the leg 17 serves as a pointer to the rangescale on the plate D, so that one may know the exact position of the head-rest suitable for any given range. On raising the rest j the tooth 0 on the leg I) is brought nearer to the point d, and on releasing the rest the pivot 11 acts as a fulcrum for the lower corner of the leg at, on which the spring m acts, forcing the tooth 0 into one of the teeth on the rack-bar 7c, retaining it in that position until released. To release the rest and fold it back in position, as shown in Fig. 2, the tooth 0 is simply lifted from the teeth at, when the spring m, acting on the lower end of the leg at, forces the whole back into its original position.

In the position shown in Fig. l the headrest when raised is thrown forward in the direction of the revolver-grip of the stock. By reversing the relative positions of the teeth 11 and spring mand other parts of the mechanism to correspond a backward and upward throw of the head-rest in the direction of the butt of the stock is obtained.

A vertical movement of the head-rest may be obtained by reversing the slotted plate f, Fig. 1, so that the upper end of the leg I) is pivoted thereto, while the upper end of the leg (1 has a pin capable of sliding in the slot in the platef, as shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 11 shows a firearm to a small scale,

with the head-rest elevated, A being the stock, B the barrel, and O the lock.

In some cases we may use one continuous slot in the support for the head-rest and allow the ends or pins at the upper end of both legs to move freely in said slot to enable the head-rest to be moved forward or backward when elevated.

. Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we claim is 1. In firearms, in combination with the stock, a head-rest, supporting-legs pivoted near their center, aslot in the support of said head-rest, a pin or shoe in the upper part of one of the legs which operates in said slot, a tooth at the lower end of one of said legs, a rack-bar in which are teeth with which the said tooth engages, and a spring at one end ofsaid rack-bar, substantially as specified and shown on the drawings.

2. In firearms, in combination with the stock, a rack-bar on which are teeth, a spring at one end of said rack-bar, and a bed-plate in which said rack-bar is rigidly secured as herein specified and shown on the drawings.

3. In firearms, in combination with the stock, a covering-plate on which is a scale of ranges, a slide for covering in the mechan ism, an interior projection on said slide, a projection on one of said legs, both for looking the head-rest when folded down, substantially as herein specified.

4. In firearms, in combination with the stock A, the head-rest j, T-iron f, slot '5 in said T-iron, legs a and b pivoted at .9, pin h in leg I), tooth o in lower end of leg I), rackbar is rigidly secured to the bed-plate c, teeth on said rack-bar, and spring m, substantially as described and shown on the drawings.

5. In combination with the stock of a firearm, a head-rest and legs pivotally connected to each other and connected to the head-rest and stock respectively to allow the said headrest to be raised or lowered and means for holding the parts with the head-rest elevated, substantially as described.

In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES MARSLAND. JOSEPH GAUT.

Witnesses:

REGINALD C. ALLEN, W. WALKER. 

